The series follows troubled teenagers who spend a week in prison to learn from the inmates about the realities of being incarcerated.
[2] Based on the 1978 American documentary Scared Straight!, this series highlights juvenile crime prevention programs in prisons and jails throughout the United States.
Following this, they undergo the booking process, which includes removing jewelry, belts, hats, sunglasses, and other personal items.
An emotional segment lets the teens communicate with their parents via the prison visitor telephone system.
[3] The series has been criticized due to the teens being in jail for adults which were considered life-threatening and dangerous, and that the show violated the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA).